Jay council approved a donation a totaling $5,000 to be given over four years in monthly payments to the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce Monday night to go toward the new facility being built near Milton.
Santa Rosa Chamber Executive Director Donna Tucker addressed the council at the January 18 meeting to present Project Welcome Donors for potential sponsors of the new building, pointing out that the Santa Rosa Chamber has always supported the town of Jay.
“We started the building project April of 2018, our board require we achieve 85 percent when we held the ground breaking,” said Tucker. “We had fundraisers going on for the last three years, under the Community Foundation because in addition to being the chamber we are also the tourist information center so we provide free meeting places for startup businesses.”
Tucker said they wanted a new building because they had been in the current building since 1981, a building that Milton High School's vocational tech students had built. She said all the items, such as furnishings, were donated and that local veteran Eugene Red James had donated the property.
“We had literally outgrown the building,” said Tucker. “We had 22 seats in the board room and 13 parking places. With us being the tourist information center for central and north Santa Rosa county, a lot of people refer other people here. We have a lot of people that come in looking for rural areas and other rural resources. Since Jay Chamber has no building and staff we've always helped them.”
Tucker said the project will cost in total about $800,000 and they sold the current building to buy the property on Avalon Boulevard.
“We need to be visible so we can easily refer people who come here,” she said. “It is as of right now, the busiest intersection in Santa Rosa county. We are located about a mile south of Highway 90 and three miles north of I-10, it's the prefect location.”
Tucker said architect Archie Column came to the chamber and after working together, created a design based on an 1840's Plantation home.
“We wanted that wow factor,” said Tucker. “We wanted to pique peoples' curiosity. It's a nod to our heritage, and will have all modern technology. It will be a cool place for people to use. We took plans for an old home and gutted it for what we need. The visitors center will be three times larger than the one we had. The boardroom will be able to accommodate up to 50 people.”
Tucker said the new building will have a full sized kitchen and plenty of space. She said John Kiley, the contractor, was one of the students at vo tech who built the original building in 1981.
“We are about $120,000 from going into the building debt-free,” said Tucker. “A lot of people have helped us with this project, donating materials, labor, or selling them to us at a reduced rate or even at cost. We have a huge list of donors who have made this possible.”
Tucker said the new building is almost completed and invites the public to come by and see it, although it is not yet open.
Jay Council members were presented with a package detailing the new building and a schedule of donation payments over time.
“A lot of businesses and a lot of different governmental organizations would be helping with their donation,” said Council Josh Holloway. “We are looking at a donation that would be spread over four years. I would like to see a donation similar to the city of Milton’s, if we can spread it out over four years.”
In a motion made by Councilman Wayne Godwin and seconded by Councilman Holloway, the motion carried.
